The Ministry of Defence’s Digital Strategy outlines it’s digital ambition, building on the Integrated Review, and provides a holistic view of the Defence Digital Function, core equipment plan and wider transformation and change. Defence will value data as a strategic asset, persistently deliver transformative digital capabilities to enable sustainable military and business advantage, and ensure these capabilities are secure, integrated, easy to use and delivered at scale and pace to all in Defence.
At the heart of this ambition – alongside people, process and data – is technology. Defence Digital’s Digital Enablement team is working to bring it’s vision for architecture to life, embracing a mobile-first, innovative approach with clear ‘rules of the road’ for APIs and Cloud.
Sustainability is also of vital importance. Defence represents just over a third of UK Government ICT energy consumption. Our forthcoming Digital Sustainability strategy will outline what we can do – individually and collectively – to address Defence’s digital footprint, on the road to Net Zero 2050.
Defence Digital aims to create stronger partnerships with industry and academia as this will be an important part of helping Defence deliver winning capability for the UK. Join us to find out more about how we can work together to achieve the ambition for 2030 outlined in the Digital Strategy.
Agenda
1330: Introduction from techUK
Defence Digital Strategy – Director Strategy & Military Digitisation Major General Tom Copinger-Symes (& Air Commodore David Rowland or Cdre Chris Cook?)
1335-1405: Overview of the Digital Strategy
1405-1415: Digital Strategy Q&A
Defence Digital Sustainability Strategy – Sustainability Lead for Defence Digital
1415-1435: Overview of the Digital Sustainability Strategy
1435-1445: Digital Sustainability Strategy Q&A
Architecture update – Director Digital Enablement John Fitzpatrick
1445-1500: Overview of the Architecture vision
1500-1510: Architecture Q&A
Event ends
1510: Closing remarks from techUK
Fred Sugden
Associate Director, Defence and National Security, techUK
Fred Sugden
Associate Director, Defence and National Security, techUK
Fred is responsible for techUK's activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working to provide members with access to key stakeholders across the Defence and National Security community. Before taking on the role of Associate Director for Defence and National Security, Fred joined techUK in 2018, working as the Programme Head for Defence at techUK, leading the organisation's engagement with the Ministry of Defence. Before joining techUK, he worked at ADS, the national trade association representing Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space companies in the UK.
Fred is responsible for techUK’s market engagement and policy development activities across the Defence and National Security sectors, working closely with various organisations within the Ministry of Defence, and across the wider National Security and Intelligence community. Fred works closely with many techUK member companies that have an interest in these sectors, and is responsible for the activities of techUK's senior Defence & Security Board. Working closely with techUK's Programme Head for Cyber Security, Fred oversees a broad range of activities for techUK members.
Outside of work, Fred's interests include football (a Watford FC fan) and skiing.
Prior to joining techUK, Raya worked in Business Development for an expert network firm within the institutional investment space. Before this Raya spent a year in industry working for a tech start-up in London as part of their Growth team which included the formation and development of a 'Let's Talk Tech' podcast and involvement in London Tech Week.
Raya has a degree in Politics and International Relations (Bsc Hons) from the University of Bath where she focused primarily on national security and counter-terrorism policies, centreing research on female-led terrorism and specific approaches to justice there.
Outside of work, Raya's interests include baking, spin classes and true-crime Netflix shows!
Jeremy is the programme manager responsible for the defence programme, which works to help the UK's defence technology sector align itself with the Ministry of Defence including Defence Digital, DE&S and Frontline Commands.
Prior to joining techUK, from 2016-2024 Jeremy was International Security Programme Manager at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). In that role he coordinated the team’s research and impact activities for funders including the FCDO and US Department of Defense, as well as business development and strategy.
Jeremy has a MA in International Relations from the University of Birmingham and a BA (Hons) in Politics & Social Policy from Swansea University.
Tracy supports several areas at techUK, including Cyber Exchange, Cyber Security, Defence, Health and Social Care, Local Public Services, Nations and Regions and National Security.
Tracy joined techUK in March 2022, having worked in the education sector for 19 years, covering administration, research project support, IT support and event/training support. My most outstanding achievement has been running three very successful international conferences and over 300 training courses booked all over the globe!
Tracy has a great interest in tech. Gaming and computing have been a big part of her life, and now electric cars are an exciting look at the future. She has warmed to Alexa, even though it can sometimes be sassy!